September 2014 - Lee Lofland

Castle: Driven – A Good Cop/Bad Cop Review

Castle is BACK! And Good Cop Melanie and I are here to help you through all the twists and turns. Was the season opener worth the long wait? Well, let’s start the year off with Melanie’s thoughts on last night’s show.

Melanie Atkins

Welcome to Castle, season seven. I so wanted to start this year off as the good cop after watching Driven. I mean, I really did. I despised For Better or Worse, the season six finale, and hoped to start year seven off with a bang. Instead, I’m shaking my head. Don’t get me wrong… Stana Katic’s acting was spectacular. I just can’t help but wonder what the heck the writers were thinking when they came up with the whole season six-seven Kate’s-been-married-before, Rick-crashes-his-car-and-disappears-while-it’s-burning-before-the-wedding scenario. I’m a romance writer, and I would NOT have written Kate and Rick’s story this way. In my version, they would’ve had their storybook wedding before everything went south. Just sayin’.

The whole convoluted plot is what it is. I’m doing my best to roll with the punches, if you’ll pardon the overused cliché, even though I thought the writers shoe-horned way too much story into forty minutes. The beginning scene did grab me, and Stana scored playing the horrified bride, and the burning car sent chills down my spine — even though I knew Rick wasn’t in it, because I’d already feasted on episode sneak peeks. After that, however, I had trouble suspending my disbelief. Before I get into specifics, spoiler alert! If you haven’t watched the episode, you might want to stop reading now and do so, then come back to read the rest of the blog.

Consider yourself warned.

On to the story. I love Kickass Beckett and enjoyed her tackling the guy they chased at the salvage yard. That was truly cool, but her blatant use of force in the interrogation room set my teeth on edge. Sure, I expected her to be ruthless and pull out all the stops in her search for Rick, but I believe she went too far. A little abuse of power goes a long way. Kudos to Esposito for calling her out on it.

The time jump didn’t bother me, maybe because I’d already heard there would be one. I was surprised, however, when the Coast Guard found Rick in the boat so early in the episode. That was a twist I didn’t expect, as was his amnesia. I do not like that trope. In my opinion, amnesia plots are overused and cliché. Yes, I’ve written a book that included one, and it made perfect sense at the time. I’ve since decided it’s not the best plot device.

I know Rick didn’t remember what happened to him while he was missing — heck, at first he thought it was the day after the car crash — but when he first woke up, he seemed entirely too flippant. He had to have read the despair and relief on Kate’s face, and yet he made jokes. I call that poor writing and/or directing. I also didn’t like Kate using his last name when she first approached his hospital bed. He’s her fiancée, for crying out loud. She should’ve called him Rick. I also don’t believe she should’ve left so soon to search for answers about his disappearance. I mean, he’d just waked up, and she leaves the hospital? Nope. No freaking way, not after he’d been gone without a trace for two long months. Too out of character for me to buy.

Espo came off as kind of a jerk during the search, too. His doubt and snide remarks really got under my skin. The twist concerning the two “Henrys” was a nice touch, however, and I like that we have more mystery to explore. Yet I’m still reeling from the wedding not happening at the end of last season and am irked Kate and Rick now have such a wide gulf between them. The last scene broke my heart. I do believe they’ll eventually get back on track, but the romance writer in me is rebelling at the unnecessary angst. Will they ever find true happiness?

I’m hoping we’ll at least get some resolution to Rick’s story in 7×2, Montreal. I still love the show, and I’ll keep watching. I just want Caskett happiness.

Lee Lofland

I wish I had something nice to say about this episode. Unfortunately, I don’t. I’m weary of the same old and tired story-lines, the same boilerplate scripts, the same character-types, the “coffee cup,” and, for goodness sake, I’m “up-to-here” with the kidnapping scenarios. It has become a real chore to keep up with whose turn it is to be abducted. I’ve tried keeping up with them by posting the information on a handy-dandy chart, but even that wasn’t much help. There’ve been far too many people-snatchings, especially when you combine the solo kidnappings with the group abductions.

Adding to the same-old, same old, were the typical:

– searching places without a warrant.

– conducting searches and other police business in outside jurisdictions.

– taking control of investigations in outside jurisdictions

– the ever present FBI agent.

– amnesia (puleeze…).

– the computer person who has access to every single surveillance camera in NYC.

– questioning a suspect AFTER he requested a lawyer (and twisting and tugging on the bad guy’s thumb while doing so).

– Lanie (no need to say more).

– larger than life criminal who has access to DMV and other official records and files.

By the way, there was an odd thing going on in one scene. A police light bar flashed between red and blue, but it did so without an attached car, and only across Beckett’s chest. Anyone else catch it?

The blue light is visible in this photo. The next flash was red and it occurred over the right side of Beckett’s chest (her left).

The alternating flashing lights stayed with her throughout the scene. It was probably a phenomenon caused by either Bigfoot, someone involved in the JFK assassination, or by a props department employee who mistakenly grabbed something from the set of one of those ghost-hunting TV shows.

So what did you think? Was the season opener all you hoped it would be? Or did it fall flat for you, too?

September 30, 2014/by Lee Lofland

Police Tools and Equipment

ExactID: Did You Leave Your Face On A Fast-Food Spork?

Using DNA to solve crimes is pretty much the norm these days. A quick swab of a cigarette butt left at the scene of a crime could easily lead to the name of a suspect. Well, that’s true only if the potential perpetrator’s information—name, date of birth, DNA profile, etc.—has already been entered into “the system.” What if, however, the crook had never before been caught? And, what if the bad guy’s vital information has not now, nor ever, been entered into “the system?” Is it possible to generate a lead based on a twisty-slimy clump of DNA found clinging to a plastic spork inside the garbage of a fast-food dive? You know, DNA that doesn’t match a single CODIS entry.

Until now, the best means to generate a lead from a cold DNA sample (no CODIS/database match/hit) would be to conduct a familial DNA search, hoping to locate a family member of the suspect. Familial DNA searching provides “close” biological matches to the suspect DNA sample—sibling or parent, for example. However, a “known” sample must be on file to generate a lead to a particular person/family member.

Using a new software system called ExactID, law enforcement now has the capability to determine a suspect’s gender, eye and hair color, ethnicity, and to identify relatives and possibly to help pinpoint where those family members reside. *Remember, simply because a certain technology is available, doesn’t mean it has been approved by the courts for use in criminal cases.

Imagine having the ability to sketch a fairly detailed drawing of a suspect based on nothing more than DNA evidence. No eyewitnesses. No fingerprints. No photos. Just a tiny speck of DNA. Yes, the code/blueprint to your personal features are desperately clinging to the back of that mashed-potato-crusted spork you so carelessly tossed into the garbage.

You may have left your heart in San Francisco, but you left your face, gender, and eye and hair color in the trash at KFC.

Here, see for yourself…

September 29, 2014/by Lee Lofland

Friday's Heroes

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

You gave your all to protect and serve us, and for that we are eternally grateful.

Senior Deputy Jessica Laura Hollis, 35

Travis County Texas Sheriff’s Office

September 18, 2014 – Senior Deputy Jessica Hollis drowned when her patrol car washed away as she checked for flooded roadways. She is survived by her husband, also a police officer, and their 12-year-old son.

Officer Michael Williams, 25

New York City Police Department

September 21, 2014 – Officer Michael Williams was killed when the department passenger van in which he was riding struck a center divide. He is survived by his parents.

Officer Reinaldo Arocha, Jr., 46

Newark New Jersey Police Department

September 16, 2014 – Officer Reinaldo Arocha suffered a fatal heart attack after he and another officers had to subdue a person who was being taken into custody. Officer Arocha is survived by his wife and two sons.

September 26, 2014/by Lee Lofland

Police Procedure

Small Town Police, Where Life Is Like A Box Of Turtles

I snapped this image of a police chief’s badge and insignia while I was conducting the research for my book on police procedure. The model for the picture was Chief John Grote of the Yellow Springs Ohio Police Department.

The tiny village of Yellow Springs is nestled in Greene County, near Dayton and Springfield. The village is quaint and loaded with charm. The main street is home to an indie film theater, a silver shop, a stained glass shop, two independent book stores, and a single stop light. Further down the road is Young’s Dairy where you can enjoy homemade ice cream, pet the animals, and play a round of miniature golf.

A right turn off the main drag leads you to Antioch College, where Coretta Scott King received a BA in music and education. A left turn takes you past a smoke shop that features a huge array of bongs, pipes, incense, and tie-dyed clothing. A renowned artist lives in the neighborhood. So does comedian Dave Chappell.

Chief Grote, now retired, ran a very tight ship.

Chief John Grote

His department, although not large, is top of the line. The officers are very well trained and extremely dedicated. The department is small, which means officers sometimes do double and triple duty. In fact, here’s a video of Chief Grote engaged in an activity you won’t see many chiefs doing very often. Believe me, he’s a fine police officer. The city officials made a fine choice when they hired him to head their police department.

I had the opportunity to hang out with the “guys” in the YSPD for a few days, and while doing so I sat in on a online sting operation. An officer posed (online) as a 14 year old girl while adult men from across the country attempted to solicit sex (online and in meetings). One such meeting was arranged, and the suspect, a police officer from a nearby town, was apprehended and charged.

To nab sexual predators, a Yellow Springs officer visits an online chat-room as a 14-year-old girl. Within seconds he was bombarded with invitations to “connect” with adults. Many of the contacts included nude photos of adult men.

Yellow Springs has its share of “regular” crime—rapes, robberies, homicide, etc., but there seems to be an abnormal amount of abnormal calls answered by the patrol officers.

Each week, the village newspaper, as do many newspapers across the county, publishes the crime reports from the community. However, their crimes and the way the local paper reports them are quite a bit different. For example:

From The Best Of Yellow Springs Police Reports (the book):

– An outhouse at Ellis Pond was burned down Thursday of last week. 7/8/99

– A throw rug was set on fire Sunday while hanging on a tree at a West Center College Street residence, destroying the rug and charring a tree limb. 7/21/94

– A three-foot green alien valued at $10 was taken from a Livermore Street residence last Thursday or Friday. 10/24/0

– A man absconded with a box of turtles from the Trailside Museum Saturday. 5/15/97

– Police found that what sounded like someone trying to get into a Xenia Avenue residence at around 1:30 a.m. Thursday of last week was a neighbor dog attempting to visit the resident dog. 8/24/00

– A Whitehall Drive resident reported that someone had cut the blooms off the daffodils growing outside his home. 4/12/01

– A Marshall Street resident reported an abandoned black boys 10-speed bicycle. 11/21/02

– A …………. customer pumped $14 worth of gas Sunday, but only paid for $13. 4/19/01

– The right forearm, wrist and hand of a human skeleton were turned into the police station Friday. 8/10/9

– A concerned neighbor called police Sunday about an open front door to a South Walnut Street residence. When police arrived they closed the door. 2/21/02

– A mysterious “spill” on Fairfield Pike reported to police on Wednesday of last week, turned out to be rabbit food. 9/5/02

– A baggie containing white powder that was found near the Laundromat Monday and turned into police turned out to be detergent, not drugs. 10/26/00

– Suspicious looking mail reported Wednesday of last week by a local resident turned out to be a consumer survey. 11/15/01

– A West Davis Street resident had police catch a sick mouse in the backyard and wanted it tested for rabies. An officer contacted a local veterinarian and was told there were no active cases in the area. 8/2/01

September 25, 2014/by Lee Lofland

Crime Writer's Dictionary

Crime Writer’s Dictionary: From ICE to Justifiable Homicide

“We’d better jet, Spanky, Jr. Here comes Pork Chop Ledbetter and he’s totin’ that nine with one in the pipe!”

Not familiar with the terminology? No problem. Here’s I through J from our handy-dandy, mini crime writer’s dictionary.

I.

ICE – Immigration and Customs Enforcement

ICE is also an acronym for “in case of emergency,” and it’s a nickname for methamphetamine.

Illegal – Not authorized by law.

Illegally Obtained Evidence – Evidence obtained in violation of a person’s rights (officers had no warrant or probable cause to arrest, seize property, etc.).

Imminent – Near at hand. “The threat to his life was imminent.”

Imprisonment – Detention of a person against their will/wishes.

Indecent – Offensive. Obscene. Vulgar. (See politician).

§ 18.2-67.2. Inanimate object sexual penetration; penalty. (Virginia law) An accused shall be guilty of inanimate or animate object sexual penetration if he or she penetrates the labia majora or anus of a complaining witness, whether or not his or her spouse, other than for a bona fide medical purpose, or causes such complaining witness to so penetrate his or her own body with an object or causes a complaining witness, whether or not his or her spouse, to engage in such acts with any other person or to penetrate, or to be penetrated by, an animal, and

1. The complaining witness is less than 13 years of age; or

2. The act is accomplished against the will of the complaining witness, by force, threat or intimidation of or against the complaining witness or another person, or through the use of the complaining witness’s mental incapacity or physical helplessness.

Indictment – A charge, in writing, investigated and found by a grand jury.

Informer – A person who discloses information regarding violations of the law.

In jure – According to the law.

Innocent – Free from guilt.

In The Pipe – A weapon with one round in the chamber.

In The Wind – The suspect is a runner/has fled the scene. “Little Earl took off as soon as he saw the police car. Man, he was in the wind.”

J.

Jack Wagon – Jerk/idiot. “I don’t care if he is your captain, that guy’s a real jack wagon.”

JAFR – Just another f***ing rookie.

Jailitis – The mysterious illness/injury suddenly contracted the moment handcuffs are applied. “Easy, man, I have a bad heart and you’re going to make me have one of my spells. Besides, I’m allergic to jail sheets.”

Jail Credit – Time served while waiting for trial. Jail credit is deducted from the overall sentence.

Jet – Get out of here! “The cops are on the way, Boo, so I’m ’bout to jet.”

Jiggle Keys – Homemade keys used to pick (jiggle) locks on automobiles.

John Wayne – Assuming an over-the-top tough-guy role. “Old Chicken-Wing Jenkins went all John Wayne on that guy. Messed him up, too. I heard the ‘other guy’ has three broken ribs.”

Junior Officer – Next thing to toilet tissue stuck to the bottom of a veteran officer’s shoe.

Jurisdiction – An area of authority. Sheriff Lock M. Up has jurisdiction over the entire county and all towns and cities within.

Justifiable Homicide – Killing of another in self-defense or the defense of others.

September 23, 2014/by Lee Lofland

Tips and Tricks

Unlocking DNA In Your Own Home: The Onion Did It!

When thinking of solving a convoluted murder case we often picture highly-trained, highly-skilled scientists releasing DNA from a bloody glove or sock. On TV we see experts hovering over steaming vials, boiling test tubes, and genetic analyzers. We read about the protagonist who magically locates key pieces of DNA in the most improbable locations. Sure, the science of DNA is pretty interesting. But did you know you can actually extract DNA in your own home using everyday household items?

Every living thing has its own unique DNA, including plants. In fact, the last time I was in a DNA lab we extracted DNA from a strawberry. For the purpose of this home experiment we’ll use an onion, because the smelly vegetable produces a really nice strand of DNA that’s easily seen with the naked eye.

First of all, you’ll need to collect the ingredients needed to unlock the DNA from the onion—approximately 100ml of finely chopped onion, a pinch of salt, meat tenderizer, rubbing alcohol, dish detergent, and 200ml of ice cold water.

Now place the chopped onion, salt, and ice water into a blender. Blend for approximately fifteen seconds (this separates the onion cells). Repeat the blending for another 20 seconds, or until the mixture becomes foamy, like the beginnings of a meringue.

Pour the foamy mixture into a glass container and add 1/6th of dish washing liquid as there is mixture (yields two tablespoons).

Swirl soap through mixture and then pour into test tubes until each tube is about 1/3 full.

Sprinkle a pinch of meat tenderizer into each tube. The tenderizer acts as an enzyme that cleans proteins away from the DNA.

Tilt the test tubes to one side and slowly pour in rubbing alcohol until the tubes are 2/3 full. The alcohol forms a separate layer at the top of the tubes.

Onion DNA – Image by www.csiro.au

Insert small stick or glass rod into the alcohol layer (the DNA will rise to the alcohol layer) and slowly twist in one direction (either clockwise or counter-clockwise). You know, like twirling spaghetti onto a fork.

DO NOT shake the test tubes.

Onion DNA – Image by www.csiro.au

The onion DNA wraps itself around the stick, or rod (the DNA slightly resembles a sperm cell).

Remove the DNA from the tubes.

There you have it, your own DNA lab in the comfort of your own home. No back logs and no cross contamination from other scientists and samples. The question is, “Did the onion do it?”

September 22, 2014/by Lee Lofland

Weekend Road Trip

What Happens In Monterey…Shows Up Here!

Last weekend Denene was a featured presenter at a conference for medical doctors in Monterey, Ca. I tagged along and played tourist for the day while Denene was on stage lecturing about the latest on meningitis.

I love Monterey, Ca. We’ve been numerous times over the years and each time I’m there I see something new, and fun. This time, though, I was there just a few days after the Writers’ Police Academy and I was still in “wind-down” mode. So I took advantage of the situation and set out on a walk. And I walked, and walked, and walked, and walked… And this is what I saw.

Steinbeck. I gave him an earring.

We enjoy Louis Linguini’s. Their calamari, by the way, is really good.

Finally, this young lady gave me the cold shoulder. It was time to move on…

September 20, 2014/by Lee Lofland

Friday's Heroes

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

You gave your all to protect and serve us, and for that we are eternally grateful.

Border Patrol Agent Tyler R. Robledo, 34

United States Department of Homeland Security – United States Border Patrol

September 12, 2014 – Agent Tyler Robledo was killed in a head-on automobile crash involving his patrol car and another vehicle. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Corporal Bryon Keith Dickson, II, 38

Pennsylvania State Police

September 12, 2014 – Corporal Bryon Dickson was shot and killed by ambush as he walked out the front door of the barracks. The suspect also wounded another trooper who’d attempted to assist Trooper Dickson.

Trooper Dickson is survived by his wife and two sons.

Deputy Sheriff Michael Norris, 24

Monroe County Georgia Sheriff’s Office

September 15, 2014 – Deputy Michael Norris was shot and killed after responding to a call of an armed suicidal man. Another deputy was also wounded in the exchange of gunfire.

Deputy Norris is survived by his wife, parents, and a sibling.

September 19, 2014/by Lee Lofland

2014 Writers' Police Academy

Writers’ Police Academy: Coming To A Town Near You????

Magical. The. Best. Ever. OMG, that was freakin’ A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!

That’s what some attendees of the Writers’ Police Academy have said since we pulled the curtain on the 2014 event. I agree, it was indeed magical and awesome in every sense of those words, and much of that awesomeness is because of you, the attendees and supporters.

To give you a bit of background, planning for a WPA event takes well over 12 months. In fact, I usually start the preliminaries for future events long before the detailed planning for the current one begins.

Our planning committee members typically begin their initial meetings and discussions while at the current event. So, while you’re having fun playing cops and robbers and CSI experts, staff members are hard at work figuring ways to make the next WPA better than the last.

And, we’re watching you…

That’s right, we conduct surveillance on WPA attendees.

If you’re smiling and asking tons of questions during a particular presentation, well, we’ll try to find ways to incorporate similar subject material into a future event, if needed.

I listen to questions and comments. If you want it we’ll find some way to do it (within reason, of course).

Patti Phillips: What Does A Firefighter Wear

Patti Philips: what does a firefighter wear

Firefighters have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Walking into a house fire that could reach 1000 degrees in under a minute (that’s not a typo) or a chemical fire that may reach double or triple that temperature in seconds, while battling smoke inhalation as well, means a firefighter’s life depends on being supplied with the best equipment that money can buy. Without the proper gear, firefighters can’t stay inside a burning structure long enough to rescue victims or fight the fire successfully.

So, what is the right gear that keeps them safe and still allows them to do their jobs?

Tim Fitts, a veteran firefighter in North Carolina, and Coordinator of certification classes for firefighters and rescue squads at Guilford Technical Community College, demonstrated his gear on a 95 degree day in September. Fire isn’t selective about the weather, so it’s a good thing for us that firefighters train and work under all kinds of conditions.

The firefighter uniform is generally called ‘turnout gear’ by firefighters because they turn it inside out when not in use, so that they can step into it quickly and pull it on/up when the fire bell/siren sounds. Firefighters need to get completely dressed in about a minute, so any safe system that will speed up the process is used. Some guys pull on the boots and pants, grab the rest of the gear and finish getting dressed in the truck as it pulls out of the fire station.

The official name for the gear is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Parts of the firefighter uniform:

While on the job at a fire or rescue operation that might result in a fire, most firefighters will wear these pieces of clothing:

Boots, insulated with steel toes and steel shank
Cotton t-shirt
Gloves, insulated leather
Helmet, with neck flap and eye protection
Hood, Nomex
Jacket, insulated, with Velcro and spring hooks
Pants, insulated, with Velcro and spring hooks, with extra padding and pockets
Suspenders

These three hoods are each made of different fabrics:

Kevlar blend
PBI/Kevlar
Nomex

Firefighters put a hood on before the jacket, so that it sits properly on the shoulders. They tend to wear two hoods to protect against a flashover, giving their heads the extra defense needed in the intense heat. If a flashover occurs, the firefighter will have about two seconds to get out of the building. If the hoods are not providing enough coverage, it will feel like 1000 bees stinging the ears at one time – it’s too hot to stand. It’s time to get out.

The helmets are made of thick, heat resistant plastic and often include Kevlar or Nomex flaps for the ears.

Firefighters are taught to fight fires on their knees (not while crawling) so the extra padding helps cushion the wear and tear on the knees.

In addition, the firefighters put on:

Airline and pressure gauge
Flashlight
Positive pressure mask
PASS device
Radio
SCBA shoulder straps, airtank bottle and backpack frame

The PASS device (Personal Alert Safety System) is a personal safety device used by firefighters entering a hazardous environment – a burning building. When the firefighter does not move for 30 seconds, it makes a loud, shrill, really annoying sound, letting others in the area know that something is wrong.

The mask on the left is a newer model, the one on the right? Older. There has been an upgrade in technology for the plastic in the mask, developed because at high temperatures, the old plastic would fail (melt). It was the weakest part of the uniform. The new version will not fail as quickly.

Note that even the air tank is protected with a fire retardant fabric.

The idea is to be protected from the fire and to be able to breathe safely while he/she works. The positive pressure mask on the SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) gear keeps the toxic air out as much as possible by allowing the tank air to flow continuously, even if the firefighter is not inhaling. By the way, the tanks are full of compressed air, not oxygen.

Most of the clothes have reflective tape so that the firefighter can be seen more easily through the smoke and low light/darkness. Some departments are large enough that they use color-coded reflective tape in order to tell the full-time firefighters and the volunteers apart.

The uniforms are sized to the individual firefighters, so that when they bend over, there is at least a two-inch overlap with the fabric pieces, and no skin is exposed to the crippling, blistering heat.

Hip boots of years ago, are now old school because of the area of the body they left unprotected from heat. Now the boots have steel toes and shanks and are calf high or knee high in length.

When fully dressed, the firefighter is wearing about 70 pounds of equipment. Add more weight for the tools they have to carry – picks, axes, etc – needed to fight the fire.

After ten years, all turnout gear must be thrown away. It wears out because of repeated exposure to the intense heat and toxic elements. Many large, active fire departments dispose of the clothing after only five years, because of their more frequent use and improvements in technology.

Firefighting gear is not fireproof. It is fire retardant.

Some of the clothing has 3 layers, each layer performing a different function. People can only tolerate temperatures to 135 degrees, so the specialized fabrics extend the time available to do the job. Firefighters get very uncomfortable at 250 degrees, and the time limit for the firefighter at that point is about 30 seconds to reach someone and get out. One of the firefighters at Command keeps track of the men/women – where they are in the structure and how long they’ve been working the fire.

Nomex degrades at 400 degrees, so needs to be used in addition to other fabrics if fighting a structural fire. It tends to split when the wearer is running. When combined with Kevlar, it becomes more flexible and the fabric breathes a bit better.

PBI degrades at 1100 degrees, allowing a much better chance for the firefighter to stay safe while fighting a house blaze. It stays intact in the extreme temperatures and allows the firefighter extra time to get to a victim and then get out.

Gortex helps shed water

Heat goes through each layer a bit at a time. Each layer is a necessary barrier, in its place to protect the firefighter and keep his body from getting hotter than is safe.

After fires, all of the clothing needs to be taken apart and washed, because everything in a fire is carcinogenic. Hmm…that means that the entire time a firefighter is working the fire, his equipment has to protect him from the flames and the smoke, as well as anything else thrown into the air, both in the active fire and in the area outside the building.

Some fire Captains insist that the clothing be stored away from the sleeping area at the station, because it may still contain toxins even after being washed. If you get a chance to visit a Fire Station, you might be able to tell where the gear is kept, before you ever reach the room. The smoky odor is sharp and unforgettable.

Cost of Basic Turnout Gear (approximate)

Pants, jacket, gloves – $1,150.
Boots – $175.
Helmet – $150.
Nomex hood – $60.
PASS device – $300.
Airpack with mask – $4,500.

Tim Fitts told us about the testing going on at NC State’s College of Textiles, in the search for better, more effective, fire retardant fabrics.

To see a demonstration of how a firefighter’s uniform reacts to fire, click here for NC State’s PyroMan video:

http://www.tx.ncsu.edu/tpacc/heat-and-flame-protection/pyroman.cfm

For a demonstration of how quickly heat from a flame penetrates protective layers before reaching the skin, click here for NC State’s PyroMan animation:

http://www.tx.ncsu.edu/tpacc/heat-and-flame-protection/pyroman-animation.cfm

Every second counts when rescuing you or your pets in a fire. We know that a simple house fire can fully engulf an 8’x10’ room in 90 seconds. That’s not a typo. If the firefighters are on the scene before that happens to the entire house, they need as much lead time as possible in order to keep a rescue operation from becoming a recovery operation. That’s when the best turnout gear on the market is worth every dime.

*Photos by Patti Phillips, taken at Guilford Technical Community College, NC, during The 2014 Writers’ Police Academy.

Thanks to Tim Fitts for generously sharing his knowledge and expertise. Tim is a veteran firefighter and Fire Occupational Extension Coordinator at GTCC. He’s in charge of all Con Ed certification and non-certification classes in Fire and Rescue subjects to members of NC fire departments and rescue squads. Any errors in fact are mine, not his.

* * *

Patti Phillips is a transplanted metropolitan New Yorker/north Texan, now living in the piney state of North Carolina.

Her best investigative days are spent writing, attending The Writers’ Police Academy, cooking, traveling for research and playing golf. Her time on the golf course has been murderously valuable while creating the perfect alibi for the chief villain in her novel, One Sweet Motion. Did you know that there are spots on a golf course that can’t be accessed by listening devices?

Ms. Phillips (writing as Detective Charlie Kerrian) can be found at www.kerriansnotebook.com. Her book reviews can be read at www.nightstandbookreviews.com

September 15, 2014/by Lee Lofland

Castle: Driven – A Good Cop/Bad Cop Review

ExactID: Did You Leave Your Face On A Fast-Food Spork?

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Small Town Police, Where Life Is Like A Box Of Turtles

Crime Writer’s Dictionary: From ICE to Justifiable Homicide

Unlocking DNA In Your Own Home: The Onion Did It!

What Happens In Monterey…Shows Up Here!

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Writers’ Police Academy: Coming To A Town Near You????

Patti Phillips: What Does A Firefighter Wear

Police Procedure and Investigation: A Guide for Writers

Countdown to 2024 KILLER CON

Writers’ Police Academy

Get to Know Lee Lofland